Control mechanism for fuel gasifiers



Dec- 3, 1957 H. w. MccLAlN CONTROL MECHANISM FoP. FUEL GAsIFIERs- Filed Jan. .9. V195e:

United States Patent @hice 2,815,0l3 Patented Dec. 3, 1957 CGNTROL MECHANISM FOR FUEL GASIFIERS Harry W. McClain, Long Beach, Calif. Application January 9, 1956, Serial No. 557,971

7 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 120) jan electrical contact, the contact being closed whenever fuel` is llowing to the engine and whenever the engine is operating. The electrical contact is broken whenever the engine stops and this contact also con-trols a solenoid which pumps fuel into the fuel gasiiier.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel control mechanism for fuel gasiers in which a quantity.

of gasied fuel will always be retained within the gasifier even though the engine is not operating, thus producing a reservoir to permit the engine to be quickly started.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

ln the drawing:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View of my control mechanism.

Figure?. is a longitudinal sectional view of a fuel gasiiler with my control mechanism mounted thereon.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral `1` indicatesa` housing of a` fuel gasier into which hot water is conducted through the intake pipe 2 and withdrawn through the outlet pipe 3, which pipes extend from the housing 1. Circulation of hot water through the space 4`^ will thus heat the upper wall 5 of the housing and this wall may be termed the vaporizing wall. An annulus 6` rises from the wall 5 and a cap 7 is removably mounted on the annulus 6 to form a regulator chamber 8, as follows: A flexible diaphragm 9` is mounted between the annulus 6 and the cap 7. This diaphragm divides the space below the cap 'l` yinto the upper chamber 10 and the lower chamber 8. A fuel intake pipe 11 projects through the wall of the housing 1 into theheating chamber 4 and is then bent upwardly and passes through the vaporizing` wall 5. The intake pipe has a nozzle 12 on the upper end` thereof and positioned within the chamber 8. The nozzle 12.- has a small port or opening therein through` which gaseous fuel` flows. An electrically operatedvalve i8, which may be termed a solenoid valve, is

provided inthe pipe 11: and is controlled from the igni-` tion switch of engine,uas will besubsequently described;

F 33 extends through the A hood 14 is pivotally mounted within the chamber 8 and` is positioned over the valve l12. The hood is mounted on a lever 15 which is pivotally mounted within the chamber 8, and one end of the lever is attached to the diaphragm 9. A spring 16, positioned within the chamber 10, bears against the diaphragm 9 to urge the diaphragm downwardly against any pressure that may exist inthe chamber 8.

In the lowered position ofthe hood 14 it will engage and close the nozzle 12' to prevent flow of fuel through the valve. In the raised position of the hood relative to the nozzle, fuel flows into 'the chamber 8 and over the vaporizing wall 5 andy then passes downwardly through the pipe 17 into the outlet chamber 18 at the bottom of the housing 1. The vaporized` fuel is now ready to pass into the engine and the control of this vaporized fuel is accomplished by my control mechanism 19.

As thus 4far described the pressure regulator is of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 474,458, led December 10, v1954, now Patent No. 2,755,- 633. The control mechanism for `any fuel gasifier, such as the type previously described, is intended to permit the free flow of gasiiied fuel to the engine as long as there is a partial vacuum existing in the intake manifold of the engine. Whenever the engine is not operating the fuel supply is shut olf to the engine and, therefore, a quantity of vapori'z'ed fuel accumulates in the chamber 18 and is immediately available to start the engine as soon as the control mechanism is actuated to open the passages extending to the engine.

The control mechanism 19 is mounted in an outlet opening 2t) in a wallof 'the chamber 18. This mechanism consists of a cylinder 2`1`which is xedly mounted in the opening 2'0. A pipe 22 extends from the cylinder 21 to the intake manifold of the engine for the purpose of conducting 'the gaseous fuel thereto. A valve Z3 is mounted within or seats on' the inner end of the cylinder 21 for the purpose of controlling the ilow` of fuel into the cylinder. A stem 24 extends from the valve 23 and is slidably mounted in` the block 25 rixedly mounted within the cylinder 21. The' stem 24 is xedly attached to a flexible diaphragm 26 which closes the inner end of the cylinder 21 and is mounted between the end of the cylinder and one wall of the diaphragm chamber 27. A spring 28` bears against the block 25 and against the diaphragm 26, thus tending to urge the valve 23 to a closed position, that is, one in which the valve seals the end of the cylinder 21 and prevents fuel from flowing into the cylinder. The`diaphragm chamber 27 includes a flexible diaphragm 29 which extends transversely across that chamber and divides the chamber into two parts 30 and 31. A vacuum pipe 32 extends into the part 30 tending to evacuate that part of the chamber and, consequently, `deflect the diaphragm 29 toward the left, asV viewed in Figure 1. A pin diaphragm 29 and engages the end of the rod 2'4 when the diaphragm deects to the left', as` described. Thus whenever there Vis any vacuum in the intake manifold of the engine, or whenever the ,engine is turning over, the diaphragm 29 will be deflected, causing the pin 33 to `engage the 'rod 24 and open the valve 23, thus permitting a llow of fuel into the cylinder 21 andV thence through' the pipe 22 to the intake manifold of the engine. t

It may also be desirableto provide a switch in corn- .bination with the control mechanism and this is accomplished as follows: The pin 33 is provided with a head 34 at the outer end thereof, this head being positioned on the outside of the diaphragm chamber 27. A pair of contacts 35 and 36 are mounted on the outside of the wall of the chamber Z7, and a lead 37 extends to the contact 35 from the ignition switch of the engine (not shown). A lead 38 extends from the contact 36 to the solenoid actuated valve 13 and thus when the valve 23 is in open position the pin 33 will then be drawn inwardly so that the head 34 engages the contacts 35-36, thus permitting flow of electrical current to the solenoid 13, causing the solenoid to open the valve and `allowing fuel to ilow into the pipe 11.

To assist the diaphragm 29 in opening the valve 23, l provide a bleed port 39 in the block 2S so that vacuum in the pipe 22 may also exert a force against the diaphragm 26 thus assisting in opening the valve 23.

In operation the engine is rotated by means of a starter or other mechanism and a partial vacuum is thus created in the intake manifold. This partial vacuum is exerted through the pipes 32 and 22 and the chamber 30 is thus evacuated. The diaphragm 29 is moved to the left, as shown in Figure l, which causes the pin 33 to engage the stem 24 to open the valve 23. The vacuum in the pipe 22 also exerts a pressure against the diaphragm 26 which assists in opening the valve 23. With the valve Z3 open vaporized fuel can ilow from the outlet chamber 18 into the cylinder 2l and thence into the pipe 22 to the intake manifold of the engine.

As soon as the engine is shut off vacuum in the intake manifold rises to atmospheric pressure and the spring 28 seats the valve 23, thus trapping a quantity of fuel in the fuel gasiiier ready for the next starting of the engine.

Also when the engine is rotated to cause deflection of the diaphragm 29 the pin 33 will be pulled inwardly and the head 34 thereof will engage the contacts 35-36, thus closing an electrical circuit to the solenoid valve 13, causing this valve to open and permitting fuel to flow to the pipe 11 and thence into the gasifier housing 1.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A control mechanism for fuel gasiiiers of internal combustion engines, comprising a fuel gasifying means having a fuel outlet chamber, a control mechanism including a cylinder extending into the fuel outlet chamber, a fuel outlet pipe extending from the cylinder, a valve seated in the end of the cylinder adjacent the fuel outlet chamber, a stem extending from the valve, a flexible diaphragm in the cylinder, said valve stem being attached to said diaphragm, a diaphragm chamber mounted on the cylinder at one end thereof, a flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm chamber and separating the diaphragm chamber into two compartments, a vacuum pipe extending into the diaphragm chamber on one side of the diaphragm therein to deflect said diaphragm, said valve stem being engageable with the last named diaphragm to cause opening of the valve on deilection of the last named diaphragm.

2. A control mechanism for fuel gasiers of internal combustion engines, comprising a fuel gasifying means having a fuel outlet chamber, a control mechanism including a cylinder extending into the fuel outlet chamber, a fuel outlet pipe extending from the cylinder, valve means seated in the end of the cylinder adjacent the fuel outlet chamber, a diaphragm chamber, a flexible diaphragm within the diaphragm chamber and separating said chamber into two compartments, a vacuum pipe extending into the diaphragm chamber on one side of said diaphragm, and Vmeans extending from said diaphragm to the valve means to open said valve means, electrical contacts on the diaphragm chamber, and means extending from the diaphragm in said chamber to engage the electrical contacts and close the same.

3. A control mechanism for fuel gasiers of internal combustion engines, comprising a fuel gasifying means having a fuel outlet chamber, a control mechanism including a cylinder extending into the fuel outlet chamber,

a fuel outlet pipe extending from the cylinder, a valve seated in the end of the cylinder adjacent the fuel outlet chamber, a stem extending from the valve, a flexible diaphragm in the cylinder, said valve stem being attached to said diaphragm, a diaphragm chamber mounted on the cylinder at one end thereof, a flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm chamber and separating the diaphragm chamber into two compartments, a vacuum pipe extending into the diaphragm chamber on one side of the diaphragm therein to deliect said diaphragm, said valve stem being engageable with the last named diaphragm to cause opening of the valve on deflection of the last named diaphragm, electrical contacts on the diaphragm chamber, and means extending from the diaphragm in said chamber to engage the electrical contacts and close the same.

4. A control mechanism for fuel gasitiers of internal combustion engines, comprising a fuel gasifying means having a fuel outlet chamber therein, and an electrically controlled fuel intake means of a control mechanism including a cylinder extending into the fuel outlet chamber, a fuel outlet pipe extending from the cylinder to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, valve means seated in the end of the cylinder adjacent the fuel outlet chamber, a stem extending from the valve, a diaphragm chamber on the one end of the cylinder, a flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm chamber, a vacuum pipe extending into the diaphragm chamber from the intake manifold of the engine, said valve stem engaging the diaphragm to cause the valve to open as the diaphragm flexes.

5. A control mechanism for fuel gasiers of internal combustion engines, comprising a fuel gasifying means having a fuel outlet chamber therein, and an electrically controlled fuel intake means of a control mechanism including a cylinder extending into the fuel outlet chamber, a fuel outlet pipe extending from the cylinder to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, valve means seated in the end of the cylinder adjacent the fuel outlet chamber, a stem extending from the valve, a diaphragm chamber mounted on one end of the cylinder, a flexible diaphragm mounted between the end of the cylinder and the diaphragm chamber, a flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm chamber separating the chamber into two compartments, a vacuum pipe extending from the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine into one of the compartments to cause exing of the last named diaphragm, said stern being attached to the first named diaphragm and engaged by the last named diaphragm to cause the opening of said valve.

6. A control mechanism for fuel gasifiers of internal combustion engines, comprising a fuel gasifying means having a fuel outlet chamber therein, and an electrically controlled fuel intake means of a control mechanism including a cylinder extending into the fuel outlet chamber, a fuel outlet pipe extending from the cylinder to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, valve means seated in the end of the cylinder adjacent the fuel outlet chamber, a stern extending from the valve, a diaphragm chamber on the one end of the cylinder, a flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm chamber, a vacuum pipe extending into the diaphragm chamber from the intake manifold of the engine, said valve stem engaging the diaphragm to cause the valve to open as the diaphragm ilexes, electrical contacts on the diaphragm chamber, and means extending from the diaphragm in said chamber to engage the electrical contacts and close the same, said electrical contacts including a lead extending to the electrically controlled fuel intake means.

7. A control mechanism for fuel gasifiers of internal combustion engines, comprising a fuel gasifying means having a fuel outlet chamber therein, and an electrically controlled fuel intake means of a control mechanism including a cylinder extending into the fuel outlet chamber, a fuel outlet pipe extending from the cylinder to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, valve means phragm, said stem being attached to the irst named dia- 10 2,073,298

phragm and engaged by the last named diaphragm to cause the opening of said valve, electrical contacts on the diaphragm chamber and means extending from the diaphragm in said chamber to engage the electrical contacts and close the same, said electrical contacts including a lead extending to the electrically controlled fuel intake means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ensign Mar. 9, 1937 2,240,846 Hanson May 6, 1941 

